Mol Plant , IF:13.164 , 2022 Aug doi: 10.1016/j.molp.2022.08.008
The regeneration factors ERF114 and ERF115 regulate auxin-mediated lateral root development in response to mechanical cues.
Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent B-9052, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent B-9052, Belgium.; Department of Plant Biology, Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Almas alle 5, 756 51 Uppsala, Sweden.; Department of Plant Biochemistry, Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP), University of Tubingen, 72076 Tubingen, Germany.; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent B-9052, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent B-9052, Belgium. Electronic address: lieven.deveylder@psb.vib-ugent.be.
Plants show an unparalleled regenerative capacity, allowing them to survive severe stress conditions, such as injury, herbivory attack, and harsh weather conditions. This potential not only replenishes tissues and restores damaged organs but can also give rise to whole plant bodies. Despite the intertwined nature of development and regeneration, common upstream cues and signaling mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that in addition to being activators of regeneration, ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR 114 (ERF114) and ERF115 govern developmental growth in the absence of wounding or injury. Increased ERF114 and ERF115 activity enhances auxin sensitivity, which is correlated with enhanced xylem maturation and lateral root formation, whereas their knockout results in a decrease in lateral roots. Moreover, we provide evidence that mechanical cues contribute to ERF114 and ERF115 expression in correlation with BZR1-mediated brassinosteroid signaling under both regenerative and developmental conditions. Antagonistically, cell wall integrity surveillance via mechanosensory FERONIA signaling suppresses their expression under both conditions. Taken together, our data suggest a molecular framework in which cell wall signals and mechanical strains regulate organ development and regenerative responses via ERF114- and ERF115-mediated auxin signaling.
PMID: 36030378
Dev Cell , IF:12.27 , 2022 Aug , V57 (16) : P2009-2025.e6 doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.07.003
Organ-specific COP1 control of BES1 stability adjusts plant growth patterns under shade or warmth.
Fundaciomicronn Instituto Leloir, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, 1405 Buenos Aires, Argentina.; Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea.; Institute of Synthetic Biology and Cluster of Excellence in Plant Sciences, University of Dusseldorf, 40225 Dusseldorf, Germany.; Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Palacky University and Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Olomouc, Czech Republic.; Instituto de Biologiotaa Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, 46022 Valencia, Spain.; Fundaciomicronn Instituto Leloir, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, 1405 Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiologicas y Ecologicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura, Facultad de Agronomia, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, 1417 Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: casal@ifeva.edu.ar.
Under adverse conditions such as shade or elevated temperatures, cotyledon expansion is reduced and hypocotyl growth is promoted to optimize plant architecture. The mechanisms underlying the repression of cotyledon cell expansion remain unknown. Here, we report that the nuclear abundance of the BES1 transcription factor decreased in the cotyledons and increased in the hypocotyl in Arabidopsis thaliana under shade or warmth. Brassinosteroid levels did not follow the same trend. PIF4 and COP1 increased their nuclear abundance in both organs under shade or warmth. PIF4 directly bound the BES1 promoter to enhance its activity but indirectly reduced BES1 expression. COP1 physically interacted with the BES1 protein, promoting its proteasome degradation in the cotyledons. COP1 had the opposite effect in the hypocotyl, demonstrating organ-specific regulatory networks. Our work indicates that shade or warmth reduces BES1 activity by transcriptional and post-translational regulation to inhibit cotyledon cell expansion.
PMID: 35901789
EMBO J , IF:11.598 , 2022 Aug : Pe110682 doi: 10.15252/embj.2022110682
Salicylic acid-activated BIN2 phosphorylation of TGA3 promotes Arabidopsis PR gene expression and disease resistance.
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment, College of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.; School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, China.
The plant defense hormone, salicylic acid (SA), plays essential roles in immunity and systemic acquired resistance. Salicylic acid induced by the pathogen is perceived by the receptor nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related genes 1 (NPR1), which is recruited by TGA transcription factors to induce the expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes. However, the mechanism by which post-translational modifications affect TGA's transcriptional activity by salicylic acid signaling/pathogen infection is not well-established. Here, we report that the loss-of-function mutant of brassinosteroid insensitive2 (BIN2) and its homologs, bin2-3 bil1 bil2, causes impaired pathogen resistance and insensitivity to SA-induced PR gene expression, whereas the gain-of-function mutant, bin2-1, exhibited enhanced SA signaling and immunity against the pathogen. Our results demonstrate that salicylic acid activates BIN2 kinase, which in turn phosphorylates TGA3 at Ser33 to enhance TGA3 DNA binding ability and NPR1-TGA3 complex formation, leading to the activation of PR gene expression. These findings implicate BIN2 as a new component of salicylic acid signaling, functioning as a key node in balancing brassinosteroid-mediated plant growth and SA-induced immunity.
PMID: 35950443
Plant Cell , IF:11.277 , 2022 Aug doi: 10.1093/plcell/koac245
The deubiquitinating enzymes UBP12 and UBP13 positively regulate recovery after carbon starvation by modulating BES1 stability in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment, College of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R.China.; Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Plant Sciences Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
BRI1-EMS-SUPPRESSOR1 (BES1), a core transcription factor in the brassinosteroid (BR) signaling pathway, primarily regulates plant growth and development by influencing BR-regulated gene expression. Several E3 ubiquitin ligases regulate BES1 stability, but little is known about BES1 deubiquitination, which antagonizes E3 ligase-mediated ubiquitination to maintain BES1 homeostasis. Here, we report that two Arabidopsis thaliana deubiquitinating enzymes, UBIQUITIN-SPECIFIC PROTEASE12 (UBP12) and UBP13, interact with BES1. UBP12 and UBP13 removed ubiquitin from polyubiquitinated BES1 to stabilize both phosphorylated and dephosphorylated forms of BES1. A double mutant, ubp12-2w ubp13-3, lacking UBP12 and UBP13 function showed both BR-deficient and BR-insensitive phenotypes, whereas transgenic plants overexpressing UBP12 or UBP13 exhibited an increased BR response. Expression of UBP12 and UPB13 was induced during recovery after carbon starvation, which led to BES1 accumulation and quick recovery of stressed plants. Our work thus establishes a mechanism by which UBP12 and UBP13 regulate BES1 protein abundance to enhance BR-regulated growth during recovery after carbon starvation.
PMID: 35944221
Plant Cell , IF:11.277 , 2022 Sep , V34 (10) : P3501-3502 doi: 10.1093/plcell/koac222
Activation by inhibition: How redox signaling tunes brassinosteroid responses.
Assistant Features Editor, The Plant Cell, American Society of Plant Biologists, USA.; School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, UK.
PMID: 35916654
Plant Cell , IF:11.277 , 2022 Sep , V34 (10) : P3844-3859 doi: 10.1093/plcell/koac203
Adenosine monophosphate deaminase modulates BIN2 activity through hydrogen peroxide-induced oligomerization.
Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.; Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.; Plant Developmental Biology, Wageningen University Research, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
The Arabidopsis thaliana GSK3-like kinase, BRASSINOSTEROID-INSENSITIVE2 (BIN2) is a key negative regulator of brassinosteroid (BR) signaling and a hub for crosstalk with other signaling pathways. However, the mechanisms controlling BIN2 activity are not well understood. Here we performed a forward genetic screen for resistance to the plant-specific GSK3 inhibitor bikinin and discovered that a mutation in the ADENOSINE MONOPHOSPHATE DEAMINASE (AMPD)/EMBRYONIC FACTOR1 (FAC1) gene reduces the sensitivity of Arabidopsis seedlings to both bikinin and BRs. Further analyses revealed that AMPD modulates BIN2 activity by regulating its oligomerization in a hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-dependent manner. Exogenous H2O2 induced the formation of BIN2 oligomers with a decreased kinase activity and an increased sensitivity to bikinin. By contrast, AMPD activity inhibition reduced the cytosolic reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and the amount of BIN2 oligomers, correlating with the decreased sensitivity of Arabidopsis plants to bikinin and BRs. Furthermore, we showed that BIN2 phosphorylates AMPD to possibly alter its function. Our results uncover the existence of an H2O2 homeostasis-mediated regulation loop between AMPD and BIN2 that fine-tunes the BIN2 kinase activity to control plant growth and development.
PMID: 35876813
Plant Cell , IF:11.277 , 2022 Sep , V34 (10) : P3754-3772 doi: 10.1093/plcell/koac196
Rice DWARF AND LOW-TILLERING and the homeodomain protein OSH15 interact to regulate internode elongation via orchestrating brassinosteroid signaling and metabolism.
National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research (Beijing), Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.; Southern Regional Collaborative Innovation Center for Grain and Oil Crops in China, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.; National Nanfan Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Sanya 572024, China.
Brassinosteroid (BR) phytohormones play crucial roles in regulating internode elongation in rice (Oryza sativa). However, the underlying mechanism remains largely unclear. The dwarf and low-tillering (dlt) mutant is a mild BR-signaling-defective mutant. Here, we identify two dlt enhancers that show more severe shortening of the lower internodes compared to the uppermost internode (IN1). Both mutants carry alleles of ORYZA SATIVA HOMEOBOX 15 (OSH15), the founding gene for dwarf6-type mutants, which have shortened lower internodes but not IN1. Consistent with the mutant phenotype, OSH15 expression is much stronger in lower internodes, particularly in IN2, than IN1. The osh15 single mutants have impaired BR sensitivity accompanied by enhanced BR synthesis in seedlings. DLT physically interacts with OSH15 to co-regulate many genes in seedlings and internodes. OSH15 targets and promotes the expression of the BR receptor gene BR INSENSITIVE1 (OsBRI1), and DLT facilitates this regulation in a dosage-dependent manner. In osh15, dlt, and osh15 dlt, BR levels are higher in seedlings and panicles, but unexpectedly lower in internodes compared with the wild-type. Taken together, our results suggest that DLT interacts with OSH15, which functions in the lower internodes, to modulate rice internode elongation via orchestrating BR signaling and metabolism.
PMID: 35789396
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A , IF:11.205 , 2022 Aug , V119 (34) : Pe2208978119 doi: 10.1073/pnas.2208978119
OCTOPUS regulates BIN2 to control leaf curvature in Chinese cabbage.
State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation, Key Laboratory of Vegetable Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Hebei, Collaborative Innovation Center of Vegetable Industry in Hebei, College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, 071000 Baoding, China.
Heading is one of the most important agronomic traits for Chinese cabbage crops. During the heading stage, leaf axial growth is an essential process. In the past, most genes predicted to be involved in the heading process have been based on leaf development studies in Arabidopsis. No genes that control leaf axial growth have been mapped and cloned via forward genetics in Chinese cabbage. In this study, we characterize the inward curling mutant ic1 in Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis and identify a mutation in the OCTOPUS (BrOPS) gene by map-based cloning. OPS is involved in phloem differentiation in Arabidopsis, a functionalization of regulating leaf curvature that is differentiated in Chinese cabbage. In the presence of brassinosteroid (BR) at the early heading stage in ic1, the mutation of BrOPS fails to sequester brassinosteroid insensitive 2 (BrBIN2) from the nucleus, allowing BrBIN2 to phosphorylate and inactivate BrBES1, which in turn relieves the repression of BrAS1 and results in leaf inward curving. Taken together, the results of our findings indicate that BrOPS positively regulates BR signaling by antagonizing BrBIN2 to promote leaf epinastic growth at the early heading stage in Chinese cabbage.
PMID: 35969746
Cell Rep , IF:9.423 , 2022 Aug , V40 (7) : P111235 doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111235
A VQ-motif-containing protein fine-tunes rice immunity and growth by a hierarchical regulatory mechanism.
State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.; Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.; State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; College of Agronomy, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education/ Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.; College of Agronomy, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Center of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.; Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.; Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory/National Nanfan Research Institute (Sanya), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Sanya 572024, China. Electronic address: xialanqin@caas.cn.; State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China. Electronic address: ningyuese@caas.cn.
Rice blast and bacterial blight, caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae and the bacterium Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), respectively, are devastating diseases affecting rice. Here, we report that a rice valine-glutamine (VQ) motif-containing protein, OsVQ25, balances broad-spectrum disease resistance and plant growth by interacting with a U-Box E3 ligase, OsPUB73, and a transcription factor, OsWRKY53. We show that OsPUB73 positively regulates rice resistance against M. oryzae and Xoo by interacting with and promoting OsVQ25 degradation via the 26S proteasome pathway. Knockout mutants of OsVQ25 exhibit enhanced resistance to both pathogens without a growth penalty. Furthermore, OsVQ25 interacts with and suppresses the transcriptional activity of OsWRKY53, a positive regulator of plant immunity. OsWRKY53 downstream defense-related genes and brassinosteroid signaling genes are upregulated in osvq25 mutants. Our findings reveal a ubiquitin E3 ligase-VQ protein-transcription factor module that fine-tunes plant immunity and growth at the transcriptional and posttranslational levels.
PMID: 35977497
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2022 Aug doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiac374
Identification of growth regulators using cross-species network analysis in plants.
Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.; Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council (CNR), Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy.; Umea Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Plant Physiology, Umea University, 90187 Umea, Sweden.; SweTree Technologies AB, Skogsmarksgrand 7, SE-907 36 Umea, Sweden.; Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 As, Norway.; Umea Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183 Umea, Sweden.; Bioinformatics Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
With the need to increase plant productivity, one of the challenges plant scientists are facing is to identify genes that play a role in beneficial plant traits. Moreover, even when such genes are found, it is generally not trivial to transfer this knowledge about gene function across species to identify functional orthologs. Here, we focused on the leaf to study plant growth. First, we built leaf growth transcriptional networks in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), maize (Zea mays), and aspen (Populus tremula). Next, known growth regulators, here defined as genes that when mutated or ectopically expressed alter plant growth, together with cross-species conserved networks, were used as guides to predict novel Arabidopsis growth regulators. Using an in-depth literature screening, 34 out of 100 top predicted growth regulators were confirmed to affect leaf phenotype when mutated or overexpressed and thus represent novel potential growth regulators. Globally, these growth regulators were involved in cell cycle, plant defense responses, gibberellin, auxin, and brassinosteroid signaling. Phenotypic characterization of loss-of-function lines confirmed two predicted growth regulators to be involved in leaf growth (NPF6.4 and LATE MERISTEM IDENTITY2). In conclusion, the presented network approach offers an integrative cross-species strategy to identify genes involved in plant growth and development.
PMID: 35984294
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2022 Sep , V190 (2) : P1457-1473 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiac332
Class I TCP transcription factor AtTCP8 modulates key brassinosteroid-responsive genes.
Department of Biological Sciences, Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.; Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.; Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center and Interdisciplinary Plant Group, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.; Department of Biology, Marian University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
The plant-specific TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR (TCP) transcription factor family is most closely associated with regulating plant developmental programs. Recently, TCPs were also shown to mediate host immune signaling, both as targets of pathogen virulence factors and as regulators of plant defense genes. However, comprehensive characterization of TCP gene targets is still lacking. Loss of function of the class I TCP gene AtTCP8 attenuates early immune signaling and, when combined with mutations in AtTCP14 and AtTCP15, additional layers of defense signaling in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Here, we focus on TCP8, the most poorly characterized of the three to date. We used chromatin immunoprecipitation and RNA sequencing to identify TCP8-bound gene promoters and differentially regulated genes in the tcp8 mutant; these datasets were heavily enriched in signaling components for multiple phytohormone pathways, including brassinosteroids (BRs), auxin, and jasmonic acid. Using BR signaling as a representative example, we showed that TCP8 directly binds and activates the promoters of the key BR transcriptional regulatory genes BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT1 (BZR1) and BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT2 (BZR2/BES1). Furthermore, tcp8 mutant seedlings exhibited altered BR-responsive growth patterns and complementary reductions in BZR2 transcript levels, while TCP8 protein demonstrated BR-responsive changes in subnuclear localization and transcriptional activity. We conclude that one explanation for the substantial targeting of TCP8 alongside other TCP family members by pathogen effectors may lie in its role as a modulator of BR and other plant hormone signaling pathways.
PMID: 35866682
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2022 Sep , V190 (2) : P1182-1198 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiac327
Brassinosteroid signaling restricts root lignification by antagonizing SHORT-ROOT function in Arabidopsis.
College of Life Science & College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China.; Key Laboratory of Plant Development and Environment Adaptation Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Cell wall lignification is a key step in forming functional endodermis and protoxylem (PX) in plant roots. Lignified casparian strips (CS) in endodermis and tracheary elements of PX are essential for selective absorption and transport of water and nutrients. Although multiple key regulators of CS and PX have been identified, the spatial information that drives the developmental shift to root lignification remains unknown. Here, we found that brassinosteroid (BR) signaling plays a key role in inhibiting root lignification in the root elongation zone. The inhibitory activity of BR signaling occurs partially through the direct binding of BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT 1 (BZR1) to SHORT-ROOT (SHR), repressing the SHR-mediated activation of downstream genes that are involved in root lignification. Upon entering the mature root zone, BR signaling declines rapidly, which releases SHR activity and initiates root lignification. Our results provide a mechanistic view of the developmental transition to cell wall lignification in Arabidopsis thaliana roots.
PMID: 35809074
Elife , IF:8.14 , 2022 Sep , V11 doi: 10.7554/eLife.73031
Computational modeling and quantitative physiology reveal central parameters for brassinosteroid-regulated early cell physiological processes linked to elongation growth of the Arabidopsis root.
BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.; Center for Molecular Biology of Plants, University of Tubingen, Tubingen, Germany.; Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.; Tasmanian Institute for Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Hobard, Australia.; Tasmanian Institute for Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
Brassinosteroids (BR) are key hormonal regulators of plant development. However, whereas the individual components of BR perception and signaling are well characterized experimentally, the question of how they can act and whether they are sufficient to carry out the critical function of cellular elongation remains open. Here, we combined computational modeling with quantitative cell physiology to understand the dynamics of the plasma membrane (PM)-localized BR response pathway during the initiation of cellular responses in the epidermis of the Arabidopsis root tip that are be linked to cell elongation. The model, consisting of ordinary differential equations, comprises the BR induced hyperpolarization of the PM, the acidification of the apoplast and subsequent cell wall swelling. We demonstrate that the competence of the root epidermal cells for the BR response predominantly depends on the amount and activity of H+-ATPases in the PM. The model further predicts that an influx of cations is required to compensate for the shift of positive charges caused by the apoplastic acidification. A potassium channel was subsequently identified and experimentally characterized, fulfilling this function. Thus, we established the landscape of components and parameters for physiological processes potentially linked to cell elongation, a central process in plant development.
PMID: 36069528
Sci Total Environ , IF:7.963 , 2022 Sep , V838 (Pt 4) : P156503 doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156503
OsBR6ox, a member in the brassinosteroid synthetic pathway facilitates degradation of pesticides in rice through a specific DNA demethylation mechanism.
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pesticide Science, College of Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pesticide Science, College of Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China.; Syngenta Crop Protection AG, Rosentalstrasse 67, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland.; Syngenta Ltd, Jealott's Hill International Research Centre, Bracknell, Berkshire RG42 6EY, UK.; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pesticide Science, College of Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address: hongyang@njau.edu.cn.
This manuscript described a comprehensive study on a pesticide degradation factor OsBR6ox that promoted the degradation of pesticides atrazine (ATZ) and acetochlor (ACT) in rice tissues and grains through an epigenetic mechanism. OsBR6ox was transcriptionally induced under ATZ and ACT stress. Genetic disruption of OsBR6ox increased rice sensitivity and led to more accumulation of ATZ and ACT, whereas transgenic rice overexpressing OsBR6ox lines (OEs) showed opposite effects with improved growth and lower ATZ and ACT accumulation in various tissues, including grains. OsBR6ox-mediated detoxification of ATZ and ACT was associated with the increased abundance of brassinolide (one of the brassinosteroids, BRs), a plant growth regulator for stress responses. Some Phase I-II reaction protein genes for pesticide detoxification such as genes encoding laccase, O-methyltransferase and glycosyltransferases were transcriptionally upregulated in OE lines under ATZ and ACT stress. HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis revealed an enhanced ATZ/ATC metabolism in OE plants, which removed 1.21-1.49 fold ATZ and 1.31-1.44 fold ACT from the growth medium but accumulated only 83.1-87.1 % (shoot) and 71.7-84.1 % (root) of ATZ and 69.4-83.4 % of ACT of the wild-type. Importantly, an ATZ-responsive demethylated region in the upstream of OsBR6ox was detected. Such an epigenetic modification marker was responsible for the increased OsBR6ox expression and consequent detoxification of ATZ/ACT in rice and environment. Overall, this work uncovered a new model showing that plants utilize two mechanisms to co-regulate the detoxification and metabolism of pesticides in rice and provided a new approach for building up cleaner crops and eliminating residual pesticides in environments.
PMID: 35688248
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2022 Sep doi: 10.1111/pce.14441
HOP1 and HOP2 are involved in salt tolerance by facilitating the brassinosteroid-related nucleo-cytoplasmic partitioning of the HSP90-BIN2 complex.
College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China.
The co-chaperone heat shock protein (HSP)70-HSP90 organizing protein (HOP) is involved in plant thermotolerance. However, its function in plant salinity tolerance was not yet studied. We found that Arabidopsis HOP1 and HOP2 play critical roles in salt tolerance by affecting the nucleo-cytoplasmic partitioning of HSP90 and brassinosteroid-insensitive 2 (BIN2). A hop1/2 double mutant was hypersensitive to salt-stress. Interestingly, this sensitivity was remedied by exogenous brassinolide application, while the application of brassinazole impeded growth of both wild-type (WT) and hop1/2 plants under normal and salt stress conditions. This suggested that the insufficient brassinosteroid (BR) content was responsible for the salt-sensitivity of hop1/2. After WT was transferred to salt stress conditions, HOP1/2, BIN2 and HSP90 accumulated in the nucleus, brassinazole-resistant 1 (BZR1) was phosphorylated and accumulated in the cytoplasm, and BR content significantly increased. This initial response resulted in dephosphorylation of BZR1 and BR response. This dynamic regulation of BR content was impeded in salt-stressed hop1/2. Thus, we propose that HOP1 and HOP2 are involved in salt tolerance by affecting BR signalling.
PMID: 36123951
J Integr Plant Biol , IF:7.061 , 2022 Sep doi: 10.1111/jipb.13356
Brassinosteroid signaling positively regulates abscisic acid biosynthesis in response to chilling stress in tomato.
Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.; Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya, 572025, China.; Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plants Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Agricultural Ministry of China, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
Brassinosteroids (BRs) and abscisic acid (ABA) are essential regulators of plant growth and stress tolerance. Although the antagonistic interaction of BRs and ABA is proposed to ensure the balance between growth and defense in model plants, the crosstalk between BRs and ABA in response to chilling in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), a warm-climate horticultural crop, is unclear. Here, we determined that overexpression of the BR biosynthesis gene DWARF (DWF) or the key BR signaling gene BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT1 (BZR1) increases ABA levels in response to chilling stress via positively regulating the expression of the ABA biosynthesis gene 9-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE1 (NCED1). BR-induced chilling tolerance was mostly dependent on ABA biosynthesis. Chilling stress or high BR levels decreased the abundance of BRASSINOSTEROID-INSENSITIVE2 (BIN2), a negative regulator of BR signaling. Moreover, we observed that chilling stress increases BR levels and results in the accumulation of BZR1. BIN2 negatively regulated both the accumulation of BZR1 protein and chilling tolerance by suppressing ABA biosynthesis. Our results demonstrate that BR signaling positively regulates chilling tolerance via ABA biosynthesis in tomato. The study has implications in production of warm-climate crops in horticulture. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
PMID: 36053143
J Integr Plant Biol , IF:7.061 , 2022 Sep , V64 (9) : P1833-1846 doi: 10.1111/jipb.13327
The RECEPTOR-LIKE PROTEIN53 immune complex associates with LLG1 to positively regulate plant immunity.
State Key Laboratory of Ecological Control of Fujian-Taiwan Crop Pests, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Plant Immunity Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.; Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.; Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.
Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) sense ligands in pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). Plant PRRs include numerous receptor-like proteins (RLPs), but many RLPs remain functionally uncharacterized. Here, we examine an Arabidopsis thaliana RLP, RLP53, which positively regulates immune signaling. Our forward genetic screen for suppressors of enhanced disease resistance1 (edr1) identified a point mutation in RLP53 that fully suppresses disease resistance and mildew-induced cell death in edr1 mutants. The rlp53 mutants showed enhanced susceptibility to virulent pathogens, including fungi, oomycetes, and bacteria, indicating that RLP53 is important for plant immunity. The ectodomain of RLP53 contains leucine-rich repeat (LRR) motifs. RLP53 constitutively associates with the LRR receptor-like kinase SUPPRESSOR OF BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE1-ASSOCIATED KINASE (BAK1)-INTERACTING RECEPTOR KINASE1 (SOBIR1) and interacts with the co-receptor BAK1 in a pathogen-induced manner. The double mutation sobir1-12 bak1-5 suppresses edr1-mediated disease resistance, suggesting that EDR1 negatively regulates PTI modulated by the RLP53-SOBIR1-BAK1 complex. Moreover, the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein LORELEI-LIKE GPI-ANCHORED PROTEIN1 (LLG1) interacts with RLP53 and mediates RLP53 accumulation in the plasma membrane. We thus uncovered the role of a novel RLP and its associated immune complex in plant defense responses and revealed a potential new mechanism underlying regulation of RLP immune function by a GPI-anchored protein.
PMID: 35796320
J Exp Bot , IF:6.992 , 2022 Sep , V73 (16) : P5529-5542 doi: 10.1093/jxb/erac222
OsBSK2, a putative brassinosteroid-signalling kinase, positively controls grain size in rice.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.; Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Grain size is an important trait that directly affects grain yield in rice; however, the genetic and molecular mechanisms regulating grain size remain unclear. In this study, we identified a mutant, grain length and grain weight 10 (glw10), which exhibited significantly reduced grain length and grain weight. Histological analysis demonstrated that GLW10 affects cell expansion, which regulates grain size. MutMap-based gene mapping and transgenic experiments demonstrated that GLW10 encodes a putative brassinosteroid (BR) signalling kinase, OsBSK2. OsBSK2 is a plasma membrane protein, and an N-myristoylation site is needed for both membrane localization and function. OsBSK2 directly interacts with the BR receptor kinase OsBRI1; however, genetic experiments have demonstrated that OsBSK2 may regulate grain size independent of the BR signalling pathway. OsBSK2 can form a homodimer or heterodimer with OsBSK3 and OsBSK4, and silencing OsBSK2, OsBSK3, and OsBSK4 reduce grain size. This indicates that OsBSKs seem to function as homodimers or heterodimers to positively regulate grain size in rice. OsBSK2/3/4 are all highly expressed in young panicles and spikelet hulls, suggesting that they control grain size. In summary, our results provide novel insights into the function of BSKs in rice, and identify novel targets for improving grain size during crop breeding.
PMID: 35595300
Plant J , IF:6.417 , 2022 Sep doi: 10.1111/tpj.15961
Transcriptional responses to gibberellin in the maize tassel and control by DELLA domain proteins.
USDA, Agriculture Research Service, Plant Genetics Research Unit, Columbia, Missouri, 65211, USA.; Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University; West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, USA.; Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, USA.
The plant hormone gibberellin (GA) impacts plant growth and development differently depending on the developmental context. In the maize (Zea mays) tassel, application of GA alters floral development, resulting in the persistence of pistils. GA signaling is achieved by the GA-dependent turnover of DELLA domain transcription factors, encoded by dwarf8 (d8) and dwarf9 (d9) in maize. The D8-Mpl and D9-1 alleles disrupt GA signaling, resulting in short plants and normal tassel floret development in the presence of excess GA. However, D9-1 mutants are unable to block GA-induced pistil development. Gene expression in developing tassels of D8-Mpl and D9-1 mutants and their wild-type siblings was determined upon excess GA3 and mock treatments. Using GA-sensitive transcripts as reporters of GA signaling, we identified a weak loss of repression under mock conditions in both mutants, with the effect in D9-1 being greater. D9-1 was also less able to repress GA signaling in the presence of excess GA3 . We treated a diverse set of maize inbred lines with excess GA3 and measured the phenotypic consequences on multiple aspects of development (e.g., height and pistil persistence in tassel florets). Genotype affected all GA-regulated phenotypes but there was no correlation between any of the GA-affected phenotypes, indicating that the complexity of the relationship between GA and development extends beyond the two-gene epistasis previously demonstrated for GA and brassinosteroid biosynthetic mutants.
PMID: 36050832
Plant J , IF:6.417 , 2022 Aug doi: 10.1111/tpj.15960
Bioenergy sorghum stem growth regulation: intercalary meristem localization, development, and gene regulatory network analysis.
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843-2128, USA.; ABQMR, Inc., 2301 Yale Blvd. SE, Suite C2, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87106, USA.; Department of Plant Biology, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA.
Bioenergy sorghum is a highly productive drought tolerant C4 grass that accumulates 80% of its harvestable biomass in approximately 4 m length stems. Stem internode growth is regulated by development, shading, and hormones that modulate cell proliferation in intercalary meristems (IMs). In this study, sorghum stem IMs were localized above the pulvinus at the base of elongating internodes using magnetic resonance imaging, microscopy, and transcriptome analysis. A change in cell morphology/organization occurred at the junction between the pulvinus and internode where LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES (SbLOB), a boundary layer gene, was expressed. Inactivation of an AGCVIII kinase in DDYM (dw2) resulted in decreased SbLOB expression, disrupted IM localization, and reduced internode cell proliferation. Transcriptome analysis identified approximately 1000 genes involved in cell proliferation, hormone signaling, and other functions selectively upregulated in the IM compared with a non-meristematic stem tissue. This cohort of genes is expressed in apical dome stem tissues before localization of the IM at the base of elongating internodes. Gene regulatory network analysis identified connections between genes involved in hormone signaling and cell proliferation. The results indicate that gibberellic acid induces accumulation of growth regulatory factors (GRFs) known to interact with ANGUSTIFOLIA (SbAN3), a master regulator of cell proliferation. GRF:AN3 was predicted to induce SbARF3/ETT expression and regulate SbAN3 expression in an auxin-dependent manner. GRFs and ARFs regulate genes involved in cytokinin and brassinosteroid signaling and cell proliferation. The results provide a molecular framework for understanding how hormone signaling regulates the expression of genes involved in cell proliferation in the stem IM.
PMID: 36038985
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2022 Sep , V23 (18) doi: 10.3390/ijms231810922
Heat Stress Decreases Rice Grain Weight: Evidence and Physiological Mechanisms of Heat Effects Prior to Flowering.
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Phytochemicals and Sustainable Utilization, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guilin 541006, China.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming Systems in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.; Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresource, College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
Heat stress during the preflowering panicle initiation stage seriously decreases rice grain weight in an invisible way and has not been given enough attention. The current review aims to (i) specify the heat effects on rice grain weight during the panicle initiation stage compared with the most important grain-filling stage; and (ii) discuss the physiological mechanisms of the decreased rice grain weight induced by heat during panicle initiation in terms of assimilate supply and phytohormone regulation, which are key physiological processes directly regulating rice grain weight. We emphasize that the effect of heat during the panicle initiation stage on rice grain weight is more serious than that during the grain-filling stage. Heat stress during the panicle initiation stage induces alterations in endogenous phytohormones, leading to the inhibition of the photosynthesis of functional leaves (source) and the formation of vascular bundles (flow), thus reducing the accumulation and transport of nonstructural carbohydrates and the growth of lemmata and paleae. The disruptions in the "flow" and restrictions in the preanthesis "source" tissue reduce grain size directly and decrease grain plumpness indirectly, resulting in a reduction in the final grain weight, which could be the direct physiological causes of the lower rice grain weight induced by heat during the panicle initiation stage. We highlight the seriousness of preflowering heat stress on rice grain weight, which can be regarded as an invisible disaster. The physiological mechanisms underlying the lower grain weight induced by heat during panicle initiation show a certain novelty because they distinguish this stage from the grain-filling stage. Additionally, a number of genes that control grain size through phytohormones have been summarized, but their functions have not yet been fully tested under heat conditions, except for the Grain Size and Abiotic stress tolerance 1 (GSA1) and BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE1 (OsBRI1) genes, which are reported to respond rapidly to heat stress. The mechanisms of reduced rice grain weight induced by heat during the panicle initiation stage should be studied in more depth in terms of molecular pathways.
PMID: 36142833
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2022 Sep , V23 (18) doi: 10.3390/ijms231810781
The Characterization of Columnar Apple Gene MdCoL Promoter and Its Response to Abscisic Acid, Brassinosteroid and Gibberellic Acid.
College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China.; Engineering Laboratory of Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops of Shandong Province, Qingdao 266109, China.
Columnar apple was an important germplasm resource to develop compact cultivars for labor-saving cultivation and to study fruit tree architecture. MdCoL is a strong candidate gene for controlling the columnar phenotype in apple. In this study, a 2000 bp upstream region of MdCoL was cloned as a full-length promoter, named MdCoLp1. To gain a better understanding of the characterization of the MdCoL promoter, cis-acting elements and the binding sites of transcription factors were predicted and analyzed, and four binary expression vectors consisting of the GUS reporter gene under the control of the MdCoL promoter was transformed into Arabidopsis thaliana to analyze the response to abscisic acid (ABA), brassinosteroid (BR) and gibberellic acid (GA3) of MdCoL promoters. Multiple transcription factors involving TCP, BEL1 and BES1/BZR1 and other transcription factor (TF) binding sites were predicted on the promoter of MdCoL. Histochemical staining showed that both full-length and 5' truncated promoters could initiate GUS expression. The GUS activity was the most in leaf and stem, and mainly concentrated in the fibrovascular tissue, followed by root, and the least activity was observed in silique and flower. In addition, MdCoL expression was mainly localized in the quiescent center (QC) and lateral root growing point of root tip and the vascular tissue of stem and leaf by in situ hybridization. The results of exogenous hormones treatment showed that ABA and BR could activate the activity of the MdCoL promoter, while GA3 had opposite effects. In columnar apple seedlings, ABA treatment could upregulate the expression of MdCoL, but GA3 and BR restrained the transcription level of MdCoL. These results provide the foundation for deciphering the regulatory network of hormones affecting MdCoL transcription.
PMID: 36142696
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2022 Sep , V23 (17) doi: 10.3390/ijms231710149
BES1/BZR1 Family Transcription Factors Regulate Plant Development via Brassinosteroid-Dependent and Independent Pathways.
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Adaptation and Molecular Design, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
The BES1/BZR1 family is a plant-specific small group of transcription factors possessing a non-canonical bHLH domain. Genetic and biochemical analyses within the last two decades have demonstrated that members of this family are key transcription factors in regulating the expression of brassinosteroid (BR) response genes. Several recent genetic and evolutionary studies, however, have clearly indicated that the BES1/BZR1 family transcription factors also function in regulating several aspects of plant development via BR-independent pathways, suggesting they are not BR specific. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of this family of transcription factors, the mechanisms regulating their activities, DNA binding motifs, and target genes. We selectively discuss a number of their biological functions via BR-dependent and particularly independent pathways, which were recently revealed by loss-of-function genetic analyses. We also highlight a few possible future directions.
PMID: 36077547
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2022 Aug , V23 (16) doi: 10.3390/ijms23169500
Expression of a Hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA Shikimate/Quinate Hydroxycinnamoyl Transferase 4 Gene from Zoysia japonica (ZjHCT4) Causes Excessive Elongation and Lignin Composition Changes in Agrostis stolonifera.
School of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.; School of Biological and Food Engineering, Suzhou University, Suzhou 234000, China.; Inner Mongolia M-Grass Ecology and Environment (Group) Co., Ltd., Hohhot 010000, China.
Hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA shikimate/quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT) is considered to be an essential enzyme for regulating the biosynthesis and composition of lignin. To investigate the properties and function of ZjHCT4, the ZjHCT4 gene was cloned from Zoysia japonica with a completed coding sequence of 1284-bp in length, encoding 428 amino acids. The ZjHCT4 gene promoter has several methyl jasmonate (MeJA) response elements. According to analysis of expression patterns, it was up-regulated by MeJA, GA3 (Gibberellin), and SA (Salicylic acid), and down-regulated by ABA (Abscisic acid). Ectopic ZjHCT4 expression in creeping bentgrass causes excessive plant elongation. In addition, the content of G-lingnin and H-lingnin fell in transgenic plants, whereas the level of S-lingnin increased, resulting in a considerable rise in the S/G unit ratio. Analysis of the expression levels of lignin-related genes revealed that the ectopic expression of ZjHCT4 altered the expression levels of a number of genes involved in the lignin synthesis pathway. Simultaneously, MeJA, SA, GA3, IAA, BR (Brassinosteroid), and other hormones were dramatically enhanced in transgenic plants relative to control plants, whereas ABA concentration was significantly decreased. Expression of ZjHCT4 impacted lignin composition and plant growth via altering the phenylpropionic acid metabolic pathway and hormone response, as revealed by transcriptome analysis. HCTs may influence plant lignin composition and plant development by altering hormone content. These findings contributed to a deeper comprehension of the lignin synthesis pathway and set the stage for further investigation and application of the HCTs gene.
PMID: 36012757
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2022 , V13 : P976684 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.976684
Integrated analysis of small RNAs, transcriptome and degradome sequencing reveal the drought stress network in Agropyron mongolicum Keng.
Agricultural College, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China.; Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural & Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot, China.; College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China.
Agropyron mongolicum (A. mongolicum) is an excellent gramineous forage with extreme drought tolerance, which lives in arid and semiarid desert areas. However, the mechanism that underlies the response of microRNAs (miRNAs) and their targets in A. mongolicum to drought stress is not well understood. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptome, small RNAome (specifically the miRNAome) and degradome to generate a comprehensive resource that focused on identifying key regulatory miRNA-target circuits under drought stress. The most extended transcript in each collection is known as the UniGene, and a total of 41,792 UniGenes and 1,104 miRNAs were identified, and 99 differentially expressed miRNAs negatively regulated 1,474 differentially expressed target genes. Among them, eight miRNAs were unique to A. mongolicum, and there were 36 target genes. A weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified five hub genes. The miRNAs of five hub genes were screened with an integration analysis of the degradome and sRNAs, such as osa-miR444a-3p.2-MADS47, bdi-miR408-5p_1ss19TA-CCX1, tae-miR9774_L-2R-1_1ss11GT-carC, ata-miR169a-3p-PAO2, and bdi-miR528-p3_2ss15TG20CA-HOX24. The functional annotations revealed that they were involved in mediating the brassinosteroid signal pathway, transporting and exchanging sodium and potassium ions and regulating the oxidation-reduction process, hydrolase activity, plant response to water deprivation, abscisic acid (ABA) and the ABA-activated signaling pathway to regulate drought stress. Five hub genes were discovered, which could play central roles in the regulation of drought-responsive genes. These results show that the combined analysis of miRNA, the transcriptome and degradation group provides a useful platform to investigate the molecular mechanism of drought resistance in A. mongolicum and could provide new insights into the genetic engineering of Poaceae crops in the future.
PMID: 36061788
Front Genet , IF:4.599 , 2022 , V13 : P932166 doi: 10.3389/fgene.2022.932166
Molecular mapping of QTLs for grain dimension traits in Basmati rice.
Division of Genetics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI), New Delhi, India.; Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, India.; Rice Breeding and Genetics Research Centre, ICAR-IARI, Aduthurai, India.; ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, IARI, New Delhi, India.
Basmati rice is known for its extra-long slender grains, exceptional kernel dimensions after cooking, high volume expansion, and strong aroma. Developing high yielding Basmati rice varieties with good cooking quality is a gigantic task. Therefore, identifying the genomic regions governing the grain and cooked kernel dimension traits is of utmost importance for its use in marker-assisted breeding. Although several QTLs governing grain dimension traits have been reported, limited attempts have been made to map QTLs for grain and cooked kernel dimension traits of Basmati rice. In the current study, a population of recombinant inbred lines (RIL) was generated from a cross of Sonasal and Pusa Basmati 1121 (PB1121). In the RIL population, there was a significant positive correlation among the length (RRL: rough rice length, MRL: milled rice length, CKL: cooked kernel length) and breadth (RRB: rough rice breadth, MRB: milled rice breadth and CKB: cooked kernel breadth) of the related traits, while there was significant negative correlation between them. QTL mapping has led to the identification of four major genomic regions governing MRL and CKL. Two QTLs co-localize with the earlier reported major gene GS3 and a QTL qGRL7.1, while the remaining two QTLs viz., qCKL3.2 (qMRL3.2) and qCKL4.1 (qMRL4.1) were novel. The QTL qCKL3.2 has been bracketed to a genomic region of 0.78 Mb between the markers RM15247 and RM15281. Annotation of this region identified 18 gene models, of which the genes predicted to encode pentatricopeptides and brassinosteroid insensitive 1-associated receptor kinase 1 precursor may be the putative candidate genes. Furthermore, we identified a novel QTL qKER2.1 governing kernel elongation ratio (KER) in Basmati rice.
PMID: 35983411
Physiol Plant , IF:4.5 , 2022 Sep : Pe13774 doi: 10.1111/ppl.13774
Cellular differentiation, hormonal gradient, and molecular alternation between the division zone and the elongation zone of bamboo internodes.
Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Bamboo Research Institute, Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Subtropical Forest Biodiversity Conservation, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.; Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Bamboo Germplasm Resources and Utilization, Jiangxi Agriculture University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.; Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, 533 Tower Road, Ithaca, NY, USA.; Present address: College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Bamboo differentiates a cell division zone (DZ) and a cell elongation zone (EZ) to promote internode elongation during rapid growth. However, the biological mechanisms underlying this sectioned growth behavior are still unknown. Using histological, physiological, and genomic data, we found that the cell wall and other subcellular organelles such as chloroplasts are more developed in the EZ. Abundant hydrogen peroxide accumulated in the pith cells of the EZ, and stomata formed completely in the EZ. In contrast, most cells in the DZ were in an undifferentiated state with wrinkled cell walls and dense cytoplasm. Hormone detection revealed that the levels of gibberellin, auxin, cytokinin, and brassinosteroid were higher in the DZ than in the EZ. However, the levels of salicylic acid and jasmonic acid were higher in the EZ than in the DZ. Transcriptome analysis with qRT-PCR quantification revealed that the transcripts for cell division and primary metabolism had higher expression in the DZ, whereas the genes for photosynthesis, cell wall growth, and secondary metabolism were dramatically upregulated in the EZ. Overexpression of a MYB transcription factor, BmMYB83, promotes cell wall lignification in transgenic plants. BmMYB83 is specifically expressed in cells that may have lignin deposits, such as protoxylem vessels and fiber cells. Our results indicate that hormone gradient and transcriptome reprogramming, as well as specific expression of key genes such as BmMYB83, may lead to differentiation of cell growth in the bamboo internode. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
PMID: 36050899
Physiol Plant , IF:4.5 , 2022 Aug : Pe13764 doi: 10.1111/ppl.13764
The putative obtusifoliol 14alpha-demethylase OsCYP51H3 affects multiple aspects of rice growth and development.
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany & Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.; Center of Economic Botany, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Some members of the CYP51G subfamily has been shown to be obtusifoliol 14alpha-demethylase, key enzyme of the sterol and brassinosteroid (BR) biosynthesis, which mediate plant development and response to stresses. However, little is known about the functions of CYP51H subfamily in rice. Here, OsCYP51H3, an ortholog of rice OsCYP51G1 was identified. Compared with wild type, the mutants oscyp51H3 and OsCYP51H3-RNAi showed dwarf phenotype, late flowering, erected leaves, lower seed-setting rate and smaller and shorter seeds. In contrast, the phenotypic changes of OsCYP51H3-OE plants are not obvious. Metabolomic analysis of oscyp51H3 mutant indicated that OsCYP51H3 may also encode an obtusifoliol 14alpha-demethylase involved in phytosterol and BR biosynthesis, but possibly not that of triterpenes. The RNA-seq results showed that OsCYP51H3 may affect the expression of a lot of genes related to rice development. These findings showed that OsCYP51H3 codes for a putative obtusifoliol 14alpha-demethylase involved in phytosterol and BR biosynthesis, and mediates rice development.
PMID: 35975452
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2022 Aug , V185 : P325-335 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2022.06.011
ZmBSK1 positively regulates BR-induced H2O2 production via NADPH oxidase and functions in oxidative stress tolerance in maize.
Provincial Key Laboratory of Agrobiology, Institute of Food Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu, China.; Provincial Key Laboratory of Agrobiology, Institute of Food Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu, China; College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China.; Provincial Key Laboratory of Agrobiology, Institute of Food Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu, China. Electronic address: chenyp@jaas.ac.cn.; Provincial Key Laboratory of Agrobiology, Institute of Food Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu, China. Electronic address: yuanjh1123@163.com.
Brassinosteroid (BR) has been indicated to induce the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in plants in response to various environmental stimuli. However, it remains largely unknown how BR induces H2O2 production. In this study, we found that BR treatment significantly raised the kinase activity of maize (Zea mays L.) brassinosteroid-signaling kinase 1 (ZmBSK1) using the immunoprecipitation kinase assay. ZmBSK1 could modulate the gene expressions and activities of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases (EC 1.6.3.1) to modulate BR-induced H2O2 production. BR could enhance the interaction between ZmBSK1 and maize calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (ZmCCaMK), a previously identified substrate of ZmBSK1. The BR-induced phosphorylation and kinase activity of ZmCCaMK are dependent on ZmBSK1. Moreover, we showed that ZmBSK1 regulated the NADPH oxidase gene expression and activity via directly phosphorylating ZmCCaMK. Genetic analysis suggested that ZmBSK1-ZmCCaMK module strengthened plant tolerance to oxidative stress induced by exogenous application of H2O2 through improving the activities of antioxidant defense enzyme and alleviating the malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and electrolyte leakage rate. In conclusion, these findings provide the new insights of ZmBSK1 functioning in BR-induced H2O2 production and the theoretical supports for breeding stress-tolerant crops.
PMID: 35738188
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2022 Aug , V185 : P69-79 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2022.05.034
Integrated transcriptomic and gibberellin analyses reveal genes related to branch development in Eucalyptus urophylla.
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Protection and Utilization/Guangdong Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, 510520, China.; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Protection and Utilization/Guangdong Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, 510520, China. Electronic address: panwen@sinogaf.cn.; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Protection and Utilization/Guangdong Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, 510520, China. Electronic address: xiaohuiyang@sinogaf.cn.
Tree branches affect the planting density and basal scab, which act as important attributes in the yield and quality of trees. Eucalyptus urophylla is an important pioneer tree with characteristics of strong adaptability, fast growth, short rotation period, and low disease and pest pressures. In this study, we collected ZQUC14 and LDUD26 clones and compared their transcriptomes and metabolomes from mature xylem, phloem, and developing tissues to identify factors that may influence branch development. In total, 32,809 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 18 gibberellin (GA) hormones were detected in the five sampled tissues. Searches of the kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways identified mainly genes related to diterpenoid biosynthesis, plant MAPK signaling pathways, plant hormone signal transduction, glycerolipid metabolism, peroxisome, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, ABC transporters, and brassinosteroid biosynthesis. Furthermore, gene expression trend analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed 13 genes likely involved in diterpenoid biosynthesis, including five members of the 2OG-Fe(II) oxygenase superfamily, four cytochrome P450 genes, and four novel genes. In GA signal transduction pathways, 24 DEGs were found to positively regulate branch formation. These results provide a comprehensive analysis of branch development based on the transcriptome and metabolome, and help clarify the molecular mechanisms of E. urophylla.
PMID: 35661587
FEBS Lett , IF:4.124 , 2022 Sep , V596 (17) : P2198-2214 doi: 10.1002/1873-3468.14355
Interactions between autophagy and phytohormone signaling pathways in plants.
Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
Autophagy is a conserved recycling process with important functions in plant growth, development, and stress responses. Phytohormones also play key roles in the regulation of some of the same processes. Increasing evidence indicates that a close relationship exists between autophagy and phytohormone signaling pathways, and the mechanisms of interaction between these pathways have begun to be revealed. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of how autophagy regulates hormone signaling and, conversely, how hormones regulate the activity of autophagy, both in plant growth and development and in environmental stress responses. We highlight in particular recent mechanistic insights into the coordination between autophagy and signaling events controlled by the stress hormone abscisic acid and by the growth hormones brassinosteroid and cytokinin and briefly discuss potential connections between autophagy and other phytohormones.
PMID: 35460261
BMC Genomics , IF:3.969 , 2022 Aug , V23 (1) : P568 doi: 10.1186/s12864-022-08810-3
Evolutionary analysis and functional characterization of BZR1 gene family in celery revealed their conserved roles in brassinosteroid signaling.
College of Life Sciences, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, 063210, Hebei, China.; College of Life Sciences, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, 063210, Hebei, China. yuanmin308@163.com.
BACKGROUND: Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a group of essential steroid hormones involved in diverse developmental and physiological processes in plants. The Brassinazole-resistant 1 (BZR1) transcription factors are key components of BR signaling and integrate a wide range of internal and environmental signals to coordinate plant development, growth, and resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. Although the BZR1 family has been fully studied in Arabidopsis, celery BZR1 family genes remain largely unknown. RESULTS: Nine BZR1 genes were identified in the celery genome, and categorized into four classes based on phylogenetic and gene structure analyses. All the BZR1 proteins shared a typical bHLH (basic helix-loop-helix) domain that is highly conserved across the whole family in Arabidopsis, grape, lettuce, ginseng, and three Apiaceae species. Both duplications and losses of the BZR1 gene family were detected during the shaping of the celery genome. Whole-genome duplication (WGD) or segmental duplication contributed 55.56% of the BZR1 genes expansion, and the gamma as well as celery-omega polyploidization events made a considerable contribution to the production of the BZR1 paralogs in celery. Four AgBZR1 members (AgBZR1.1, AgBZR1.3, AgBZR1.5, and AgBZR1.9), which were localized both in the nucleus and cytoplasm, exhibit transcription activation activity in yeast. AgBZR1.5 overexpression transgenic plants in Arabidopsis showed curled leaves with bent, long petioles and constitutive BR-responsive phenotypes. Furthermore, the AgBZR1 genes possessed divergent expression patterns with some overlaps in roots, petioles, and leaves, suggesting an extensive involvement of AgBZR1s in the developmental processes in celery with both functional redundancy and divergence. CONCLUSIONS: Our results not only demonstrated that AgBZR1 played a conserved role in BR signaling but also suggested that AgBZR1 might be extensively involved in plant developmental processes in celery. The findings lay the foundation for further study on the molecular mechanism of the AgBZR1s in regulating the agronomic traits and environmental adaptation of celery, and provide insights for future BR-related genetic breeding of celery and other Apiaceae crops.
PMID: 35941544
Plants (Basel) , IF:3.935 , 2022 Sep , V11 (17) doi: 10.3390/plants11172324
Identification of QTL under Brassinosteroid-Combined Cold Treatment at Seedling Stage in Rice Using Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS).
Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biotechnology of Liaoning Province, College of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China.; Rice Research Institute, College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China.; Rice Research Institute, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchang 330200, China.; Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
Cold stress is a major threat to the sustainability of rice yield. Brassinosteroids (BR) application can enhance cold tolerance in rice. However, the regulatory mechanism related to cold tolerance and the BR signaling pathway in rice has not been clarified. In the current study, the seedling shoot length (SSL), seedling root length (SRL), seedling dry weight (SDW), and seedling wet weight (SWW) were used as the indices for identifying cold tolerance under cold stress and BR-combined cold treatment in a backcross recombinant inbred lines (BRIL) population. According to the phenotypic characterization for cold tolerance and a high-resolution SNP genetic map obtained from the GBS technique, a total of 114 QTLs were identified, of which 27 QTLs were detected under cold stress and 87 QTLs under BR-combined cold treatment. Among them, the intervals of many QTLs were coincident under different treatments, as well as different traits. A total of 13 candidate genes associated with cold tolerance or BR pathway, such as BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT1 (OsBZR1), OsWRKY77, AP2 domain-containing protein, zinc finger proteins, basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein, and auxin-induced protein, were predicted. Among these, the expression levels of 10 candidate genes were identified under different treatments in the parents and representative BRIL individuals. These results were helpful in understanding the regulation relationship between cold tolerance and BR pathway in rice.
PMID: 36079705
Plants (Basel) , IF:3.935 , 2022 Sep , V11 (17) doi: 10.3390/plants11172292
Brassinosteroid Supplementation Alleviates Chromium Toxicity in Soybean (Glycine max L.) via Reducing Its Translocation.
The Advanced Seed Institute, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.; International Genome Center, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.; Instituto de Conservacion y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, 46022 Valencia, Spain.; Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.; Department of Botany, GDC Pulwama, Srinagar 192301, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Chromium (Cr) phytotoxicity severely inhibits plant growth and development which makes it a prerequisite to developing techniques that prevent Cr accumulation in food chains. However, little is explored related to the protective role of brassinosteroids (BRs) against Cr-induced stress in soybean plants. Herein, the morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of soybean cultivars with/without foliar application of BRs under Cr toxicity were intensely investigated. Our outcomes deliberated that BRs application noticeably reduced Cr-induced phytotoxicity by lowering Cr uptake (37.7/43.63%), accumulation (63.92/81.73%), and translocation (26.23/38.14%) in XD-18/HD-19, plant tissues, respectively; besides, improved seed germination ratio, photosynthetic attributes, plant growth, and biomass, as well as prevented nutrient uptake inhibition under Cr stress, especially in HD-19 cultivar. Furthermore, BRs stimulated antioxidative defense systems, both enzymatic and non-enzymatic, the compartmentalization of ion chelation, diminished extra production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and electrolyte leakage in response to Cr-induced toxicity, specifically in HD-19. In addition, BRs improved Cr stress tolerance in soybean seedlings by regulating the expression of stress-related genes involved in Cr accumulation, and translocation. Inclusively, by considering the above-mentioned biomarkers, foliar spray of BRs might be considered an effective inhibitor of Cr-induced damages in soybean cultivars, even in Cr polluted soil.
PMID: 36079674
J Struct Biol , IF:2.867 , 2022 Sep , V214 (3) : P107885 doi: 10.1016/j.jsb.2022.107885
Structure of maize BZR1-type beta-amylase BAM8 provides new insights into its noncatalytic adaptation.
Department of Plant Biology, College of Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.; Department of Plant Biology, College of Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA. Electronic address: nshabek@ucdavis.edu.
Plant beta-amylase (BAM) proteins play an essential role in growth, development, stress response, and hormone regulation. Despite their typical (beta/alpha)8 barrel structure as active catalysts in starch breakdown, catalytically inactive BAMs are implicated in diverse yet elusive functions in plants. The noncatalytic BAM7/8 contain N-terminal BZR1 domains and were shown to be involved in the regulation of brassinosteroid signaling and possibly serve as sensors of yet an uncharacterized metabolic signal. While the structures of several catalytically active BAMs have been reported, structural characterization of the catalytically inactive BZR1-type BAMs remain unknown. Here, we determine the crystal structure of beta-amylase domain of Zea mays BAM8/BES1/BZR1-5 and provide comprehensive insights into its noncatalytic adaptation. Using structural-guided comparison combined with biochemical analysis and molecular dynamics simulations, we revealed conformational changes in multiple distinct highly conserved regions resulting in rearrangement of the binding pocket. Altogether, this study adds a new layer of understanding to starch breakdown mechanism and elucidates the acquired adjustments of noncatalytic BZR1-type BAMs as putative regulatory domains and/or metabolic sensors in plants.
PMID: 35961473
Plant Commun , 2022 Sep : P100450 doi: 10.1016/j.xplc.2022.100450
The U-box Ubiquitin Ligase TUD1 Promotes Brassinosteroid-Induced GSK2 Degradation in Rice.
National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, the Innovative Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.; National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; National Nanfan Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Sanya 572024, China. Electronic address: tonghongning@caas.cn.
Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a class of steroid hormones having great potentials in crop improvement. De-repression is usually one of the key events in hormone signaling. However, how the stability of GSK2, the central negative regulator of BR signaling in rice (Oryza sativa), is regulated by BRs remains elusive. Here we identify TUD1, the U-box ubiquitin ligase, as a GSK2-interacting protein by yeast two-hybrid screening. We show that TUD1 is able to directly interact with GSK2 and ubiquitinate the protein. Phenotypes of tud1 mutant are highly similar to the plants with constitutively activated GSK2. Consistently, the GSK2 protein is accumulated in tud1 compared with that in wild type. In addition, inhibition of BR synthesis promotes GSK2 accumulation whereas suppresses TUD1 stability. By contrast, BRs can induce GSK2 degradation but promote TUD1 accumulation. Furthermore, GSK2 degradation process is largely impaired in tud1 mutant in response to BR. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the role of TUD1 in responsible for BR-induced GSK2 degradation, thereby advances a critical step in understanding BR signaling pathway in rice.
PMID: 36127877
Plant Commun , 2022 Aug : P100419 doi: 10.1016/j.xplc.2022.100419
Brassinosteroids promote thermotolerance through releasing BIN2-mediated phosphorylation and suppression of HsfA1 transcription factors in Arabidopsis.
College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China; Sanya Institute of Henan University, Sanya 572025, China.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China; Sanya Institute of Henan University, Sanya 572025, China. Electronic address: xueluw@henu.edu.cn.
High temperature adversely affects plant growth and development. The steroid phytohormones brassinosteroids (BRs) are recognized to play important roles in plant heat stress responses and thermotolerance, but the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Here, we demonstrate that the glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3)-like kinase BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE2 (BIN2), a negative component in the BR signaling pathway, interacts with the master heat-responsive transcription factors CLASS A1 HEAT SHOCK TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS (HsfA1s). Furthermore, BIN2 phosphorylates HsfA1d on T263 and S56 to suppress its nuclear localization and inhibit its DNA-binding ability, respectively. BR signaling promotes plant thermotolerance by releasing the BIN2 suppression of HsfA1d to facilitate its nuclear localization and DNA binding. Our study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms by which BRs promote plant thermotolerance by strongly regulating HsfA1d through BIN2 and suggests potential ways to improve crop yield under extreme high temperatures.
PMID: 35927943
Plant Commun , 2022 Sep , V3 (5) : P100348 doi: 10.1016/j.xplc.2022.100348
Deubiquitination of BES1 by UBP12/UBP13 promotes brassinosteroid signaling and plant growth.
Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 1 Research Link, Singapore 117604, Singapore.; Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 1 Research Link, Singapore 117604, Singapore. Electronic address: chua@rockefeller.edu.
As a key transcription factor in the brassinosteroid (BR) signaling pathway, the activity and expression of BES1 (BRI1-EMS-SUPPRESSOR 1) are stringently regulated. BES1 degradation is mediated by ubiquitin-related 26S proteasomal and autophagy pathways, which attenuate and terminate BR signaling; however, the opposing deubiquitinases (DUBs) are still unknown. Here, we showed that the ubp12-2w/13-3 double mutant phenocopies the BR-deficient dwarf mutant, suggesting that the two DUBs UBP12/UBP13 antagonize ubiquitin-mediated degradation to stabilize BES1. These two DUBs can trim tetraubiquitin with K46 and K63 linkages in vitro. UBP12/BES1 and UBP13/BES1 complexes are localized in both cytosol and nuclei. UBP12/13 can deubiquitinate polyubiquitinated BES1 in vitro and in planta, and UBP12 interacts with and deubiquitinates both inactive, phosphorylated BES1 and active, dephosphorylated BES1 in vivo. UBP12 overexpression in BES1(OE) plants significantly enhances cell elongation in hypocotyls and petioles and increases the ratio of leaf length to width compared with BES1(OE) or UBP12(OE) plants. Hypocotyl elongation and etiolation result from elevated BES1 levels because BES1 degradation is retarded by UBP12 in darkness or in light with BR. Protein degradation inhibitor experiments show that the majority of BES1 can be degraded by either the proteasomal or the autophagy pathway, but a minor BES1 fraction remains pathway specific. In conclusion, UBP12/UBP13 deubiquitinate BES1 to stabilize the latter as a positive regulator for BR responses.
PMID: 35706355
J Genet Genomics , 2022 Sep , V49 (9) : P870-880 doi: 10.1016/j.jgg.2022.02.026
OsASHL1 and OsASHL2, two members of the COMPASS-like complex, control floral transition and plant development in rice.
Key Laboratory of Soybean Molecular Design Breeding, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.; Key Laboratory of Soybean Molecular Design Breeding, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China.; College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China.; College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330022, China.; Key Laboratory of Soybean Molecular Design Breeding, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China. Electronic address: fangjun@iga.ac.cn.
COMPASS or COMPASS-like is a highly conserved polyprotein complex in eukaryotes that is often involved in methylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4). However, the biological function of this complex in rice (Oryza sativa) is unclear. Here, we report the identifiction of their functions in growth and development. The osashl1 osashl2 double mutant shows a dwarf and late-flowering phenotype. Lower expression of Ehd1, OsVIL4, and OsMADS51 in the osashl1 osashl2 double mutant background accompanies a delayed vegetative growth phase and photoperiod-sensitive phase compared with that in wild type. Notably, there is less H3K4 mono-, di- and tri-methylation genome-wide in the double mutant, in particular less H3K4 tri-methylation at OsVIL4. Consistent with this result, knockout of OsVIL4 gives rise to a late-flowering phenotype similar to that of the osashl1 osashl2 double mutant, suggesting that OsVIL4 is a target of the COMPASS-like complex. In addition, the expression of key genes in brassinosteroid and gibberellic acid metabolism is altered in the osashl1 osashl2 double mutant, suggesting that the COMPASS-like complex regulates plant growth and development by modulating the levels of these two phytohormones. In summary, we demonstrate that OsASHL1 and OsASHL2 are important for floral transition and plant development.
PMID: 35306222